What are Bichat balls, and what are they for?

Bichat balls are fatty structures located on the cheek, below the cheekbone, giving structure to the midface, adding volume to the cheeks.

What is the Bichat ball removal procedure?

Bichectomy is a relatively simple procedure in which, through a small incision inside the mouth, we partially or remove the ball of Bichat.

Which are your primary benefits?

Bichectomy offers aesthetic advantages such as refining and lengthening the face, eliminating the cheeks’ roundness, and highlighting the cheekbones.

The surgical technique with a minimally invasive intraoral approach allows us to achieve partial corrections of the face with very short recovery periods, on an outpatient basis, and with minimal trauma.

On the other hand, through these minimally invasive techniques, the results are completely natural, and recovery times are minimized.

How long does it take to see the results?

It is normal, after the intervention, that there is an inflammatory process for about two weeks. Generally, the results begin to be noticed a month after the surgery and are definitive at three months.

Is the procedure reversible?

It is impossible to reposition the fat again in its anatomical location. However, we can perform lipofilling techniques to fill the face with the patient’s fat to increase its volume.

What is post-surgery care?

The postoperative period is similar to that of a dental extraction. The patient should eat soft foods while the inflammation persists in avoiding traumatizing the oral mucosa. Antibiotics and anti-inflammatories are prescribed for one week, and oral hygiene should be extreme with brushing and gentle rinses. Intense exercise is not recommended the first month after the intervention.

To date, what techniques exist to perform a bichectomy?

Two options depend on the approach route: one is through an external approach, making an incision like the one we make in lifting with the risk of damage to the nerve branches of the facial nerve; and the other approach, which most professionals prefer, is intraoral through two small incisions, one on each side of the oral mucosa.

A bichectomy with what other treatments or aesthetic procedures can be performed at the same time?

When we perform a facelift, we can perform an extraction of the Bichat balls. It is also usually combined with cheekbone fillers with different materials: fat, hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxyapatite.

What type of anesthesia is applied?

The Bichat Balls extraction is performed on an outpatient basis and under local anesthesia and exceptionally with mild sedation.

Who are the candidates for this type of procedure?

It is not a recommended technique for all faces since, in some cases, the thinning of the cheeks can result in an older face. It is also not recommended in patients over 35 years of age.

The patients who benefit from this intervention have round faces and who, despite losing weight, cannot refine the facial oval.

It is also an excellent technique to highlight the cheekbones, giving a more attractive appearance and bringing luminosity to the malar area.